Supporting Your Health Through Dialysis

Kidney failure is a serious condition that requires immediate attention by a kidney doctor, or nephrologist. Aside from kidney transplant, dialysis is the best procedure to treat sufferers of this condition.

Some dialysis patients are able to return to mostly normal lives outside of treatments. However, there are certain recommendations to keep in mind when it comes to proper care and maintenance of kidney health.

The function of your kidneys is to filter your blood of waste, excess fluids, and excess salt. Dialysis is used when your kidneys can no longer perform the functions they need to. Instead, your nephrologist connects a machine to your bloodstream through tubes which draws in your blood to be cleansed and returned back to you through one of two processes: hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.

During Dialysis in Jupiter, Be Sure to Maintain a Healthy Diet

Keep your kidney health in check by following the special renal diet given to you by your kidney doctor at Coastal Dialysis Center, Dr. Abbas Rabiei. Micromanaging your diet may not sound like a fun time, but keeping the amount of salt and fluids you consume in check is extremely important for proper maintenance between treatments.

For example, while your body needs sodium to help control your body’s fluid levels, you can easily accumulate too much without your kidneys to help regulate. Too much sodium can cause you to have high blood pressure. Similarly, while you cannot live without water, dialysis patients need to be mindful of exactly how much they are consuming each day so it doesn’t build up and make work harder for your heart.

The same can occur with minerals such as phosphorus, which promotes healthy bones, and potassium, which promotes muscle health. Too much of a good thing without the proper filtering system will cause a terrible disturbance to your overall health. Dialysis patients receive dietary counseling to address these concerns.

Exercise is Also Important During Dialysis, But Discuss Your Physical Activity Plan With Your Kidney Doctor First

While maintaining a kidney-healthy diet is important, you can also keep your kidneys happy by staying active. Physical activity improves the functioning of your bones and muscles, including your heart. When your heart is happy, you reap more benefits from the foods you eat.

Exercise also helps you get rid of waste by pushing it into your blood. Your next dialysis treatment will eliminate the waste. It is very important you discuss your exercise plan with your nephrologist before getting started.

Patients at Coastal Dialysis Center experience firsthand the care our kidney doctor in Jupiter and West Palm Beach takes in provides. Kidney failure is a force to be reckoned with. But with the combination of top-notch kidney care, a proper diet, and exercise, nothing will stop you from living a normal life. Call us today at (561) 253-8121 to learn more about or to schedule an appointment for dialysis.